November 22, 2007

Revathi and Myself

The following incidents happened in part of South India, where things and cultures are conservative. Sometime in 1993 during my tenth standard (Year 10), I was fresh from a city school, joining to a rural, village, and Government Middle school. I was feeling good, because, I know, since I received a better quality of education (City), I thought I will easily top the class! Out came the Quarterly exam results, guess my rank, Alas, SECOND!

A brilliant girl named Revathi, bagged the First Rank â" for which I almost (well almost) cried. That was the last time I almost cried during my career life. OK, I started taking notice of this girl Revathi (without she could find out!). She was pretty and homely girl, very nice behaviour having lot of respect for teachers. At that time, I was concentrated on only two things: 1. Study well 2. Play well. As soon as the school gets over we will run to the ground for playing football, volley ball or cricket (in that same order, I lost interest in those, but playing fascinates me even now!).

At those times, I wanted to beat her in education and snatch the first rank, at any cost. And I am not a vigorous reader at home also, I used to listen in the classrooms, do my homework (also in class), and come home sleep. Even my parents have not seen me studying at home â" even on the day before exam. I knew there is only one way, I can overtake her. It is ENGLISH. The subject which was tough for most of my rural friends was a cakewalk for me, as I studied in Matriculation School where English is the medium of teaching. I studied only up to 3rd standard in the City Matriculation schools.

I need not tell the remaining sucecss story, with good scores in English, I snatched the First Rank. From then on, I retained the first rank forever. At those ages itself, my friends have expressed their love to her got a slap or two, or warnings from her Father. I had no guts to even speak to her - forget about expressing love.

Now, sometime in the recent years, when I went to my native village in South India recently (six months ago), I met one of my friends. While talking about the past days, he asked me, "Do u remember Revathi". I told, "Yesâ™. He told she is married 2 year before and got two children now. He also told, in those times, my friends thought that Revathi and myself would make a good pair. It was a fantasy it seems, for my friends. Just I thought back, was I in love with her? Was she the childhood sweetheart of my life? No way, liking a girl or boy in schools not necessarily means love, marriage etc etc, right?